It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time
by Zanza Flux
Summary: Life will never be the same for June when she invites a certain ink demon into her home.
1. A Mother's View

**AN:** This story is based off of the ink Henry AU created by shinyzango and themarginalartist. Check out their awesome work on tumblr.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bendy and the Ink Machine characters. Just my own OCS.

* * *

"I dunno Juney, are you sure about this?"

"I-I think so.". She ran her fingers through her hair. " There is no way to keep him out of our house. I feel a little better knowing he's going to show up rather than him sneaking in and out of the house."

"I know, I know." Henry sighed. He really didn't like the idea of the demon hanging around his sister's home. "I just want you to be careful. Never forget: He's dangerous. You can't trust him completely."

"I'll be careful, I promise."

 **.**  
 **OOoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

This wasn't how she wanted to introduce her children to the demon that would be visiting them from time to time. Beth and Sarah was hiding behind her while Ben stood in the corner, staring at them. June sighed. She knew this would happen sooner or later.

"Girls, it's okay." She placed her hands on the girls' heads. "This is Ben. He's not going to hurt you." The children looked up at her, then back at the demon. They looked him up and down with their stares lingering on his bad leg.

"Are you the one from that scary place?" Beth asked. Ben tilted his head as though he were trying to understand her question.

June smiled weakly. "She means the Studio." The demon hissed softly and nodded. Beth stayed glued to her side and Sarah's grip grew a little tighter.

"A-Are you gonna take mommy away again?" Sarah said in a soft voice. The question broke June's heart. Maybe it was too soon for this. It was obvious that the children were scared. Maybe she should have warned them first.

It grew very quiet and June was ready to take the girls out of the room when Ben did something that surprised her. The lanky demon crouched down with his long arms resting on his knees. He was almost eye level with the girls even if he was still taller than them. " **Noooo. I'mmm not.** "

Both girls looked up at their mother, then at each other. Beth let go of June's skirt and stepped forward. "You promise?"

Ben chuckled softly. **"I promisse."**

Sarah peeked around June's leg and said, "Pinky promise."

Beth nodded and held out her little hand. All of her fingers curled except for her pinky. "Y-Yeah, pinky promise!"

Ben tilted his head and studied the little girl's hand. June wasn't sure if the demon understood the significance of the gesture but he slowly held out his ungloved hand. He curled his long fingers with his pinky pointed outward.

Beth stepped closer to him, wrapped her little pinky around the demon's, and tugged on his hand. "Pinky promise."

Ben was amused by it all and the girls seemed satisfied that the demon wasn't going to take their mom away. June just shook her head. Jason was not going to believe this.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

As first meetings go, it went better than she thought. The girls were still wary of him. For the first few visits, they kept their distance from one another. After awhile, Beth's curiosity got the better of her, and she bombarded the ink demon with a bunch of questions. Some of her questions he answered, but others he didn't. He would just stare at her coldly until she backed off. June didn't like that, but was sure he wasn't actively trying to scare her children.

One afternoon, June was in the living room with the girls. She was helping them with their homework when an inky portal formed on the wall. Ben shuffled through. They greeted him as he sat cross legged on the floor near the girls. They had their work books open and spread out on the coffee table. Ben picked up Sarah's math book and looked it over.

June had a hard time getting Beth to pay attention because she was busy staring at the demon. Her brows were knitted together and you could practically see a question forming in her mind.

"Hey Ben?" The demon looked up from the textbook and stared at Beth. The girl fidgeted under Ben's gaze. "Um, do you have eyes?"

June froze. She had to admit, she was curious about that but was too scared to ask. Even Sarah stopped what she was doing to hear his answer. Ben sat back and seemed to look up at the ceiling.

"I-I mean, I know you can see.." Beth stumbled over her words. June began to worry when she heard him hiss softly. She was afraid the demon might act negatively to the question.

Ben lowered his head. He sighed before pressing his gloved hand to one side of his face. June held her breath as the demon pushed some of the ink away. There was a soft gasp from someone in the room when they saw, underneath all that dripping ink, a dark eye socket with a glowing orb staring back at them.

June had thought that if Ben did have eyes underneath all that ink, that it might glow like Bendy's when he's in his monster form. She thought the color might be red or even that harsh yellow that Henry had when he was possessed. Out of all the colors she came up with, a soft violet wasn't one of them.

Ben sat hunched over with his hands in his lap. His eye darted about taking in everyone's expressions. His grin slipped slightly when no one said anything for a long time.

The silence was broken by Sarah. "Wow, your eye is pretty."

Ben lowered his head and grumbled something that sounded like, " **Thank You."** They watched as the ink dripped down his face and covered his eye back up. When he looked at them, his face was back to the way it was.

June clapped her hands. "Alright guys, time to get back to your homework." When she was sure the girls' attention was on their work, she looked over at Ben. He was staring back at her.

June smiled and mouthed the words, _"Thank You."_ Ben's smile seemed to stretch a little wider.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

There would be days where they didn't see the demon. Then out of the blue, he'd be in the kitchen, stealing cookies or sneaking up on her when she was doing the laundry. Ben was nothing if not unpredictable.

One evening, June was in the kitchen fixing dinner. The girls were playing in the living room with their dolls and stuffed animals. Jason was sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper.

June hummed to herself while she checked on the baked chicken in the oven. So far, the evening was nice and quiet. That was until she felt a presence behind her. She froze when a heavy weight landed on her shoulder. It was Ben! For some strange reason, the demon loved to look over her shoulder while she was cooking.

This was something she would never get used to. He felt so cold that it made her skin crawl. She covered her physical shudder by huffing and sounding annoyed with him.

"C'mon Ben, I'm trying to cook!" With his head so close, his wheezing laughter rang in her ear. She winced slightly and waited for him to back up. She turned to see him smiling down at her. "Now go on, get out of here! I don't need you dripping ink into the food and spoiling it."

June crossed her arms over her chest and tried to glare at him sternly. Deep down, she knew it wasn't working. He just chuckled and shuffled out of the kitchen. She followed him but stopped by the doorway.

As Ben entered the room and the girls greeted him. Jason just grunted and pretended to read his newspaper. He kept his eyes on the demon while he was around his children. Jason trusted the demon about as far as he could throw him. He told June as much.

Ben sat on the floor and watched the children play. There were dolls, toy cars, and stuffed animals all on the floor. He reached out and picked up a pink bunny. It had long, floppy ears and a big puffy tale. It had a big, red bow tied around it's neck. The bunny was missing a button eye and the stitching was frayed here and there, but it was very soft to the touch.

"Um…" Ben looked up from the stuffed animal to see Sarah staring at him. She was standing a few feet away from him and twisting the end of her shirt in her tiny hands. She was always nervous around him.

"That's Charlie." Sarah pointed towards the pink bunny. Ben twisted the bunny around until he saw a name stitched into the bow around his neck. She looked up at him anxiously. The demon huffed softly and handed her back the bunny. She hugged it tightly and thanked him.

Beth ran up to them with a big, golden teddy bear in her arms. She held out the bear for Ben to see. "This is Sunny!" she said with a big smile on her face. Ben hesitated for a moment before taking the bear from her. He turned the stuffed bear in his hand a few times before giving it back to Beth.

Jason shot June a worried glance as Beth introduced the demons to the rest of her dolls. Sarah stood back and watched. June was just as bemused as her husband. Beth was always the more outgoing of their daughters so it shouldn't have surprised them that she'd be eager to get to know him. It just seemed so surreal.

A loud *ding* could be heard from the oven so June checked on the chicken. A few moments later, she returned to the living room and announced that dinner was ready.

"Alright girls. Clean up your toys, wash your hands, and then help me set the table." Beth and Sarah picked up their things and ran up the stairs.

"Hey you two, don't run up the stairs. Walk!" Jason yelled. Jason could see the demon watching the girls out of the corner of his eye. He really hated the way Ben just stared at them. Jason's thoughts were interrupted by June's voice.

"Hey Ben, are you joining us for dinner tonight?" The demon turned towards June and shook his head. He stood up, shuffled over to the other side of the living room, and opened an inky portal against the wall. He tilted his head up for a moment before disappearing through the portal.

Jason frowned and said, "I'll never get used to this." June couldn't agree more.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly. The girls grumbled about not liking carrots and didn't want to eat them. The threat of no dessert changed their tune quickly. Afterwards, they all sat in the living room and watched TV until it was time for the girls to go to bed.

Jason reached out and ruffled both girls' hair. "Alright guys, time for bed." There were a chorus of "awws" and "But I'm not tired!", that rang out through the room. Jason just shook his head and pointed towards the stairs. "Go on up. You both have school tomorrow."

The kids grumbled and dragged their feet as they made their way up the stairs. June chuckled and hugged her husband as they lounged on the couch. The past few weeks had been so weird and a little nerve wracking. With a very dangerous being coming in and out of their house without notice, it made it hard for them to relax. Short, quiet times like this was precious…

And then the calm was shattered by screams coming from the girls' room. Jason and June were up the stairs like a shot and rushing down the hall.

"Beth?! Sarah?! What's wrong?" When the only sound they heard was another scream, the parents feared the worse. They ran into the children's bedroom, then stopped dead in their tracks.

Sitting on the floor, near each girl's bed, was two large stuffed animals. The one that sat near Beth's bed was shaped like Bendy. She was sitting on the floor and hugging it. The Bendy plush was bigger than her. "Oh my gosh! It looks just like cousin Bendy!" Beth squeezed it and it let out a loud squeak.

Sarah was a little puzzled by the plush sitting near her bed. It had a long muzzle and wore white overalls. It kind of looked like a big dog. She reached out and squeezed the end of his nose. It squeaked as well. "Mommy, who is this?"

June walked over and pet the plushy on the head. "This is Boris the Wolf. He was one of Bendy's friends in the cartoons." Sarah made a soft "Ohh" sound as she sat in the big wolf's lap. Sarah looked so small next to the stuffed animal, it was very cute. It made June wish she brought her camera.

Jason walked into the room and placed his arm around June's waist. He watched the girls play with the oversized plush toys and chuckled softly. "How did these things get here?"

June leaned against him and smiled. "Ben." Looks like the big, scary demon wanted to give the kids a little gift.

Her smile began to slip when she realized that Ben just brought the girls plush toys that had been sitting in that ink filled studio for over thirty years. June shuddered at the amount of dust and what not that must be crawling all over the toys. It took everything she had not to snatch the toys away from them.

"Okay girls, time for bed!" When the kids tried to drag the stuffed animals into their beds, June started to panic. "No No! J-Just leave them on the floor. You can play with them tomorrow." Jason laughed at her reaction and tucked the girls in for the night.

June picked up the toys and rushed them out of the room. He knew she'd spend a couple of hours scrubbing the poor things.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

Henry had been calling her almost every other day. He asked if she was okay and had Ben been behaving himself. June told him about the promise he made to Beth and Sarah and the plush toys he brought for them. Henry sounded genuinely surprised.

 _"He really did that?"_

"Heh, yeah. I'm just as surprised as you." They spoke for a little bit longer with Henry promising to visit them next weekend. He wasn't the only one worried about them. Bendy wanted to make sure they're okay too.

"Make sure you tell my nephew that I love him too." June chuckled.

 _"I will June-bug. You take care…and be careful."_

* * *

It was a cool Thursday morning. Beth and Sarah were in school and June used that time to do the laundry. Ben stood in the corner and watched as she pulled wet sheets out of the washing machine. June placed them in a basket along with some wooden pins.

"Hey Ben, why doncha come out back with me? I need to hang these sheets on the line outside." The ink demon nodded and followed her out the backdoor.

This was the first time he'd been outside in the daylight. He froze on the porch as he took in the sights. June chuckled and walked around him. She carried the basket to the line and began pulling the sheets out.

June watched him as he shuffled around the yard. Ben ran his ungloved hand against the bark of a few trees. He stopped and stared at a pot full of colorful flowers that sat at the base of one of the trees. Ben reached out with and brushed his fingers against their petals. "Sssoo many colorsss." He sat down under the tree. He pressed his back against it and stared up at the cloudy sky.

June sighed. She wondered what it was like to be trapped someplace for thirty years. Look at the same yellowing walls day after day. She was sure she would have lost her mind long ago. Maybe something similar happened to him. If so, it would explain why he acts the way he does. In that respect, June felt sorry for the demon.

June watched as a squirrel approached Ben. It came up to him slowly. The demon sat perfectly still as the little creature got closer. All of a sudden, Ben's hand shot out and he grabbed the squirrel.

Ben turned the struggling creature this way and that. It was like he was studying it. The squirrel squeaked and wiggled in his hand. It even bit down on one of his fingers. If it hurt, the demon didn't show it. He just laughed, like it amused him to see the little creature struggle.

The longer the demon held the poor creature, the more uncomfortable June got. She was about to tell Ben to put the squirrel down, but the demon reached up with his ungloved hand, gripped the little creature by the head, and twisted it. There was a dull pop and the squirrel's body grew limp.

He killed it! Just like that. June had to slap her hand over her mouth to stifle the scream that tried to crawl up her throat. Her brother's warning echoed through her mind as Ben played with the body. He held the squirrel by its tail and shook it. He chuckled as the limp body swayed from side to side. The demon laid the body in his large, gloved hand. A ball of ink formed and swallowed the squirrel's body. When the ink dissolved, the squirrel was gone. Ben sat back and stared up at the sky like nothing happened.

She had forgotten. He had spent years in that studio hunting people down and drowning them in ink. Ben had no problem taking the life of another. He even tried to kill her brother multiple times! Still, the way he killed that poor squirrel reminded her that she couldn't let her guard down around him.

June spent the rest of the morning trying to act normal even though her nerves were frazzled. She tried to clean up in the kitchen, but her hands kept shaking. The whole time this was happening, the demon was staring at her. June could feel his unseen eyes on her. It made her even more nervous.

She could hear Ben moving behind her and she hoped he'd go into the next room. No such luck though. He stood behind June. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on cleaning the stove. June nearly lost it when he reached out and gripped her shaking hand. Thank goodness her scream couldn't get past the lump that formed in her throat.

" **What'sss wrong? You'rrre ssshaking**." June turned slowly to face him. He was frowning. She cleared her throat and hoped her voice didn't betray her.

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong." She didn't think he was buying it. Ben leaned in close and stared at her face. June was about to stammer out a lame ass excuse when she heard the honk of a school bus outside.

"O-Oh, the girls are home! I-uh, I need to go…". She pulled her hand free of his grip and walked around him. June wanted to sprint for the door, but she took a few deep breaths and calmly walked to the front door. She knew Ben was still watching her.

June opened the door just as the girls stepped off the bus. They ran down the walkway and she caught them in a big hug. They started talking all at once and June was glad for the distraction.

They walked into the house and Ben was gone. At that moment, June was a bundle of emotions. One the one hand, she was relieved that he had left. She needed some time to calm her nerves. On the other hand, she hoped she didn't do anything to upset him. She wasn't sure what he would do if he got angry. She hoped she'd never have to find out.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

It was Saturday afternoon when Ben showed up at the house. It was a nice day so everyone was outside. Jason was at the side of the house working on 'Lucy'. The girls and Ben were out in the back. They were showing the demon the colorful fall leaves. June was on the back porch, watching the children like a hawk.

June had calmed down considerably, but she didn't want what happened a couple of days ago to happen again, especially with the girls around. She didn't tell her husband what happened with the squirrel. She didn't want to cause any trouble.

The little group was huddled around a bush near the end of the yard. They stayed in that spot for quite awhile. June grew concerned when Beth jumped up and ran towards her.

"Mommy, mommy! Come see what Ben found!" Her heart dropped as she sprinted across the yard. She prayed it wasn't another squirrel he was trying to kill or worse. Ben had his back to her by the time June reached him. She couldn't see what he was holding.

"Hey Ben? Whatcha got there?" June tried very hard not to sound worried.

Ben turned to her and there, in his large gloved hand, sat a little grey kitten. The poor thing shook like a leaf and blinked at all the new faces surrounding it. It didn't have a collar and looked very young. It must be a stray. Probably wondered away from its momma.

Ben lowered his hand enough for the girls to coo and pet the little thing. He looked absolutely pleased with himself. June was freaking out on the inside. She didn't want him to kill that kitten in front of her children…

"Can we keep it?"

June blinked as her thoughts came crashing to a halt. "What?"

"Can we keep it mommy?" Sarah said shyly.

"Yeah, can we? Can we? Pleeaase?" Beth was excited. She always wanted a cat.

June ran her fingers through her hair. "Aww guys, I dunno…" Ben looked down at her. The corners of his mouth twitched and he pulled the kitten closer to his chest. June didn't like where this was going and she needed to do something quick.

She held out her hand. "Ben, give me the cat." The demon frowned and hesitated for just a moment before placing the little ball of fluff in her hand.

June turned the kitten around so she could get a good look at its face. It had bright yellow eyes. It blinked at her a few times and squeaked out a cute little meow. She felt her heart melt a little the longer she looked at it. June sighed. Maybe she could use this to her advantage.

June held the kitten close to her chest and looked at the group. Beth and Sarah were hitting her with the big, puppy dog eyes. And Ben, well, he actually looked…anxious. He was rubbing his hands together and everything.

"Okay girls, go tell your dad…that we're getting a cat." Both girls screamed and ran towards the side of the house. June narrowed her eyes at the demon.

"Ben, we will keep this cat but on two conditions!" The demon hissed softly, the frown never leaving his face.

"One: You can't take this kitten to the studio. It's just a baby and it'll get hurt there." The demon took a moment, but ultimately agreed.

"Two: Don't kill the cat!" Ben's head shot back like he'd been slapped. "Don't act surprised. I saw what you did to that squirrel." The demon lowered his head and looked off to the side.

"If I even get a hint that you'll hurt this kitten, I'll give it away. Do you understand?" The girls would be very upset, but June would feel better knowing she kept the demon from killing it.

Ben lifted his head and stared at her for a few seconds. June wasn't budging on this and he knew it. He huffed and nodded. **"I unnderssstand**."

June shoulders sagged and she relaxed slightly. She just hoped she wouldn't life to regret this. She told Ben to hold out his hand. She handed the kitten back to him. "I'll show you and the girls how to take care of it okay?" June could hear the girls coming back. "I'm trusting you Ben. Please don't let me down." She whispered. The demon gave her a slight nod.

For the rest of the afternoon, Jason and June watched as Ben and the girls played with the newest member of their family. Jason would tell them to be gentle when the play got a little too rough. He reminded them that the kitten was still a baby and they needed to be careful. After awhile, the kitten curled up in Ben's large gloved hand and fell asleep. He sat under the tree and ran his fingers along it's soft fur.

"Well, we have to give the puffball a name." Beth and Sarah hummed softly while Ben stared up at the clouds. He looked down at the kitten in his hand. " **Cloudy** " Everyone looked at him, then down at the kitten.

"Cloudy." Sarah reached over and scratched the kitten behind its ear. "I like it."

"Me too." Beth was all smiles. "It's puffy like a cloud!" The adults agreed even if they were surprised that Ben picked the name.

After an hour or so, Ben got up and shuffled over to June. He placed the sleepy ball of fur in her hands, opened an inky portal on the side of the house, and returned to the Studio.

June looked down at the little kitten in her hands. Her shoulders slumped and all the tension drained out of her. She made a deal with a demon to save a kitten's life. She must be loosing her mind.

Jason wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. She leaned into him and they both stood there, staring at the spot where Ben had been.

"I don't know the first thing about taking care of a cat!" June chuckled. "We had a dog growing up."

"Don't worry about it. It's not that hard." Jason just smiled and scratched the little kitten behind the ear. "Mom had one when I was little. I'll pick up a few things for it." Jason plucked the kitten from her hands and turned it over. "Ahh, looks like Cloudy's a little boy." He chuckled. "Don't worry hon, everything will be fine."

June sighed. She sure hoped so.

* * *

A week went by. Henry and Bendy came up that weekend. The girls were happy to see their uncle and cousin again. They even introduced the little toon to the kitten.

"Oh my gosh Henry! They have a cat. Isn't it cute!" Bendy held the bundle of fluff up for Henry to see. It mewled and blinked its golden eyes at him. Henry took the cat and looked it over.

"Um, sis? When did you guys get a cat?" June chuckled nervously and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Ben found him!" Beth ran up with a feather in her hand. She waved it in front of the kitten. Cloudy meowed and pawed at it.

"Ben?" Henry turned to his sister. She was looking everywhere except at him. "Juney?"

June cleared her throat. "Ah well, you see..."

There was a soft splashing sound as an inky portal opened up on the wall next to them. Ben emerged from it and froze when he saw Henry and the little ink spot.

June took the kitten from her brother and placed him in the demon's large, gloved hand. Ben turned the kitten onto its back. He wiggled his fingers and the little kitten pawed at them.

Henry and Bendy watched in mild shock as the demon played with the little kitten.

Henry turned to his sister with his arms crossed over his chest and said, "Juney, you have some explainin' to do."

June smiled weakly. Henry wasn't going to be happy about the squirrel. She knew she was going to get an earful by the time she was done. But at least Ben kept his word. That had to count for something, right?


	2. A Demon's View

**AN:** This story is based off of the ink Henry AU created by shinyzango and themarginalartist. Check out their awesome work on tumblr.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Bendy and the Ink Machine characters. Just my own OCS.

* * *

"Ben!"

Well, this was awkward. Ben knew he would have to meet the children, just not this soon. The fact that he got caught stealing cookies again, didn't help the situation. He had three sets of eyes staring at him and it was making him uncomfortable.

June told the children who he was and that he wasn't going to hurt them. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. He guessed the kids needed some reassurance. Couldn't blame them. He was a demon after all.

The girls looked him up and down until they stared at his bad leg a little too long. He hated it when people stared at his leg. It made him angry for reasons he couldn't explain. If they kept it up, he was going to pluck their little eyes out!

"Are you the one from that scary place?" Ben's thoughts ground to a halt. Scary place? What was that child talking about.

June glanced at her children for a moment before looking at Ben. She smiled but it didn't look very happy. It seemed very shaky to him. He really was bad at reading faces.

"She means the Studio." They thought the studio was a scary place? Not to him. It was his home, his domain. It was all he ever knew. Oh, that's right. They were in the room when he went to get Sammy. They were staring at him back then like they were now. He got angry back then too.

He nodded.

"A-Are you gonna take mommy away again?" The smaller of the two children had such a soft voice. Ben's smile twitched slightly. The kids were worried about that huh. Worried that the big, bad monster was going to drag their mother back to the scary place. He had no intention of doing that again.

It wasn't even his idea in the first place! Still, he was the one that took them all. They're still staring at him, waiting for his answer. June looked nervous as well. He normally didn't care what others thought of him, but in this case, he needed to do something. June looked like she was ready to take the kids and run.

Ben crouched down and let his hands rest on his knees. He often used his height to intimidate others, but that wasn't his goal this time. Even like this, he was still taller than the little ones, but there was nothing he could do about that.

" **Noooo. I'mmm not.** " The children just stared at him. He got the distinct impression that they didn't believe him. He could respect that and it didn't surprise him. Demons can't be trusted, right?

"You promise?" The taller of the two children stepped forward slightly, letting go of June's skirt. He found it kind of funny that the children were actually bargaining for their mother's life. " **I promissse.** "

The other child piped up from behind June's legs. Said something about a 'pinky promise'. He wasn't sure what that was but it seemed to be important to the children.

Ben watched as the girl lifted her hand and stuck her little pinky out. Huh, a deal? That's what this was. They wanted to make a deal with him? Fine, he could play their game.

Ben held out his ungloved hand, curled his fingers, and had his pinky sticking out. He was curious to see what would happen next. Much to his surprise, the child reached out and wrapped her little pinky around his own. Her hand was so tiny compared to his. She tugged on his hand like an odd handshake. "Pinky promise." She said with a little more confidence.

The tension in the room dropped considerably after that. It seemed that the girls were satisfied with his response and June looked relieved.

Ben chuckled and wondered how relieved June would be if she knew she just allowed her children to make a deal with a demon. Sure, it wasn't the traditional 'handshake', but the principle was still the same. Well, she didn't need to know and like hell he was going to tell her. Although…it would be funny to see the woman freak out about it. Maybe…another time.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

Ben had never been around children before. None had the pleasure of gracing the halls of the Studio. At least, not that he could remember. His memories were a little fuzzy though. Everything before the Studio went to hell is a blur for him.

He was quite sure he wasn't good with kids. The way they stared at him made the corners of his mouth twitch. It seemed that children weren't very good at hiding their emotions like some adults. Ben could clearly see a mixture of fear and curiosity written all over their little faces. It was those looks that had him stamping down the urge to snarl at them. He knew June wouldn't appreciate that.

Each time Ben entered the home with the children around, their curiosity of him increased. Then one day, the older sibling, whose name he learned was Beth, got up the courage to ask him a question. Once she was sure he wasn't going to kill her, she bombarded him with more!

He had no idea that such a small being wanted to know so much about him. It was overwhelming at times. He couldn't remember the last time someone sat down and actually talked to him. Granted, he often drowned them in ink before they could get two words out, so this all felt kind of weird.

Some of her questions he could give one word replies, some left him baffled by their silliness, and the others he just flat out refused to answer. Sometimes her incessant chatter got on his nerves and he just stared at her. She was smart enough to get the hint and stopped talking. He could see June frown whenever he did that, but it was better than him trying to strangle the child. He knew she definitely wouldn't approve of that.

The younger sibling, the one called Sarah, was very wary of him. She barely spoke to him when he came around, but when she got up the nerve to ask him something, her voice was soft. He didn't mind. He had excellent hearing.

Sometimes Ben would show up when the children were in school so it was just June and himself in the house. She was either cleaning, fixing food, or talking with the neighbors. He loved catching her by surprise. She would have music from the radio playing so loud that she didn't hear him coming. Then he'd lay his head on her shoulder and she would always jump.

Ben knew she didn't like it when he did that, but he couldn't help it. Ever since she removed that damned collar from around his neck… The way she leaned against him to undo the clasp he couldn't reach… He wasn't lying when he said she felt warm. It was nice and he wanted more.

He didn't mean to scare her the first time he showed up at her home, even thought it was fun to watch. And the second time, when she thought he was some hallucination, that was priceless. She actually tried to hit him! Pressing her hand against his cheek felt really nice. Her palm was soft and radiated heat. He was going to tell her why he was there, but the father called out. For the first time in his existence, he wanted to avoid a fight, so he left.

The next time he came back, she was preparing a meal. Ben tried a little harder not to scare her this time. June was still nervous but she didn't try to kick him out of the kitchen. Heh, not that she could!

Now normally, he didn't need to eat. Heck, he went for years without touching those cans of bacon soup. Seriously, why did they have so many cans of that disgusting stuff? The point is, he didn't need food, but the heavenly smells coming from June's kitchen made it hard to resist. Ben was shocked when she offered him whatever it was she was cooking. He couldn't say no.

The food was just as good as it smelled. He was so into what he was eating that he didn't even care that she was staring at him the whole time. Deep down, he just hoped that she realized he wasn't there to do harm.

Things got a little easier after that. Well, easy for him anyway. June was still jumpy around him and she wouldn't leave him alone with her kids, but he thought they were warming up to him. As much as anyone could warm up to an ink demon.

The only one in the home that was giving him a hard time was the father, Jason. The man didn't even try to hide his hostility towards him. He never left Ben alone when the kids were around. He would glare at him with those cold eyes.

Ben found his thoughts growing darker whenever the man was around. He had made a deal with the girls not to take their mother away, but the father was a different story. It wouldn't be too hard to sneak up behind the man when he was working on that large vehicle. He could grab him and drag him back to the studio…maybe have a little fun with him before causing his untimely death. That would be so much fun, to add new screams to those musty halls would be delightful.

Of course, he could never get away with that. Henry would know he had something to do with it and would try to get rid of him. Or worse, he'd sick the little ink spot on him. They would ruin the good thing he had going with June too. Deep down, he liked being a guest in her home verses an intruder that snuck in from time to time. So, he'll put up with the glares and scowls…for now.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

Ben had a lot of tricks he used to intimidate others. One of those was the fact that no one could see his eyes. Ink constantly dripped down his face and covered them. It wasn't something he could control and he really didn't want to. It worked and that's all that mattered. No one had the courage to ask him if he had eyes, until now…

"Um Ben?" Oh boy, sounds like Beth had another silly question for him. He wondered what it'll be this time. "Do you have eyes?" Oh…he should have expected that one sooner or later. It still caught him off guard though.

Now Ben had every intention to NOT answer that question. They couldn't force him to! He would let Beth stammer on and stare her down until she gave up. It might have worked if the children weren't staring at him expectantly. Even June had a look of curiosity tinged with apprehension on her face.

He tilted his head back and hissed softly. The small group jumped at the sudden sound. He hadn't meant to do that, but it was still funny. He supposed… he could bend his own rule, just this once.

Ben reached up and slowly pushed some of the ink away from his face. He lived with ink dripping down his face for so long, he'd gotten used to the way his little world looked through the inky filter. Without the substance obscuring his vision, the room looked a little brighter and more…vibrant.

The room got very quiet. June and the girls were staring at him. No one said a word. He suddenly felt self-conscious and wished he hadn't given into their curiosity. Ben could feel himself growing angry and he just knew if they didn't stop staring at him, he was going to do something stupid.

"Wow, your eye is pretty." Sarah's soft voice broke through the violent thoughts racing through his head. They were all staring at him in wide eyed amazement and seemed to agree with her.

Pretty? He didn't think his eyes were anything special. Then again, he hadn't seen his own eyes in a long time… If he could blush, he would have. They were embarrassing him. Surprisingly, he wasn't angry about it. Instead, he grumbled his thanks and let the ink cover his exposed eye again.

There was a look of disappointment that flashed across the kids faces before June ordered them to get back to their homework. Ben was relieved to have the attention taken off of him. June smiled and thank him. For what, he wasn't sure but it felt…nice.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

Ben rarely did anything to make others happy if he didn't get something out of it. It wasn't his job, at least, not anymore. It's been years since...no, it didn't matter anymore.

Anyway, after he snuck up on June in the kitchen (gaining him a stern glare from the woman no less), he shuffled into the living room. The father was there, watching him from behind his newspaper. The children were on the floor, playing with some of their toys.

Ben sat on the floor and looked over the various nick knacks that littered the floor. He picked up a large, pink bunny with a red bow tied around its neck. The poor thing was a little frayed around the edges but was very soft to the touch.

Turns out, the bunny's name was Charlie and he belonged to Sarah. She stared at it anxiously, like she was afraid he'd tear it apart or something. Ben sighed internally and handed her back the bunny. The child's face lit up and she thanked him as she hugged the stuffed animal to within an inch of its life. The next thing he knew, Beth was introducing him to a golden teddy bear and all her other toys. Sometimes that girl's enthusiasm baffled him.

Watching the children play with their toys, Ben got an idea. As soon as he returned to the studio, he headed straight for the Heavenly Toys workshop. He sorted through the pile of plush toys that sat in the corner. He needed to find some that were in pretty good condition.

The first one he picked up was a large Bendy plush. This one had Beth written all over it. He knew she would love it. For Sarah, it was a toss up between Boris and Alice. It took all but two seconds for him to make his decision. He wouldn't touch that blasted angel's plush with a ten foot pole. The damn thing would probably give her nightmares.

Once he made up his mind, he carried the large stuffed animals back to the house. He placed each one at the foot of the girls' bed. He took a step back to admire his handiwork. He hoped that the kids liked his gift.

Ben found out the next day when he walked into the loving room to find the girls playing with the plush toys. Sarah sat in Boris' lap and seemed to be reading him a story. Beth had a large hat on Bendy's head and was trying to serve him make believe tea. Both girls flashed him bright smiles and thanked him.

It filled his inky heart with pride to know he put those smiles on their faces. Little by little they looked at him less like a monster… and more like a friend.

* * *

It was hard to tell time in the Studio. There are many clocks on the walls throughout the studio but there is no way to tell if it's day or night. The sunlight from the upper don't penetrate the depth of the building.

Ben didn't keep track of when he showed up at June's home. He just came and went when he felt like it. So sometimes he would show up in the middle of the night when everyone in the house was sound asleep. It was quiet and still. He loved it.

It was never quiet in the Studio. There was always the sounds of dripping ink, creaky floorboards, moans and groans from whatever was roaming the hall, and the clanking of the machine pushing ink through pipes that threaded throughout the building. With his sensitive hearing, the constant noise irritated him to the point where he would loose his temper and take it out on the first creature that crossed his path.

Standing here in this quiet home, Ben found something he thought he'd never have: peace. He didn't have to chase anyone. He didn't have to drag tainted souls back to the ink. He didn't have to do anything! Ben just sat on the floor in the middle of the living room and relaxed. He didn't even think he was capable of that.

Tonight was different. A bright flash from the window caught Ben's attention. He crossed the room and cautiously peaked out the window. Another flash lit up the night and water fell from the sky. Rain.

In the Studio, the wall were either too thick or he was too deep to really notice when a storm hit. The boom from thunder was often muted or drowned out by the clanking of pipes in the wall. This was the first time he got to see a storm raging with his own eyes.

The rain pelted everything with great force. The trees bend and sway under the weight of the water and wind. Lightning forked across the sky and thunder boom. The concussive sound caused the windows to rattle. It was a violent dance of beauty and power.

"Ben?" The demon startled slightly before turning towards the source of the voice. It was Jason. He was standing at the bottom of the steps with his arms crossed over his chest. He stared with narrowed eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Ben was so engrossed in the spectacle outside, he didn't hear him coming down the stairs. Another flash and rumble brought his attention back to the window. He shrugged and hissed softly. " **Watching the ssstormm.** "

He heard the soft padding of bare feet as Jason walked over to stand beside him. His arms were still crossed and he closed his eyes when the flashes of lightning got too bright. The man sighed and spoke without looking at him. "Doesn't this scare you?"

Ben tilted his head quizzically. That was a strange thing to ask. " **Nooo, whyyy wwwould it?** "

Jason chuckles and shook his head. "You're definitely not like Bendy." That statement confused Ben even more. Jason didn't say anything else after that and he let it go.

Ben wasn't sure how long they stood at the window. The rain was coming down less and less. The strong winds turned into a gentle breeze. The lightning flashes weren't as bright and the thunder sounded further away. Jason turned and headed for the stairs. He stopped with his hand on the banister and looked over his shoulder.

"Don't steal too many cookies tonight-" the man smirked, "or June's gonna find a better hiding spot for the jar." Jason yawned and headed up the stairs leaving a bemused demon standing near the window.

Ben chuckled softly with a crooked smile on his face. Maybe he'll hold off on dragging the man to the Studio a little while longer.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

This was the first time he got to go outside in broad daylight. June told him that she needed to go the in the backyard to hang up some sheets. He was more than happy to join her.

Wow, it was bright! Even through the inky tint that covered his eyes, it was very bright outside. Ben shuffled around the yard, touching the trees and colorful flowers he came across here and there. There was a fresh, cool breeze that caused the leaves to flutter. So, this is what the outside world was like.

Ben sat down under a large tree. He leaned back and stared at the clouds. The rough bark dug into his back, but he didn't mind. His thoughts began to wander when something tapped his leg. It was a squirrel. He had seen enough drawings of the furry creature to know what a squirrel was. He was surprised that it was so close to him.

Ben sat perfectly still and waited for the creature to get a little closer. He snatched the little thing up in his gloved hand. It wiggled and screeched as he tightened his grip on it. Its fluffy tail waved frantically as it tried to wiggle out of his grasp. It even bit down on his finger. He barely felt it.

It amused him how the little furry creature thought it could get away from him. Once he had his hands on something, he rarely let it go. Ben studied the squirrel's features for a few more seconds before he grew bored and snapped its neck. There was hardly any resistance at all. Definitely easier than snapping a grown man's neck. Maybe he should take the body home. See what its insides looked like.

Ben formed a ball of ink in his hand. He watched as the ink swallowed the body then he transported it back to the Studio. Well, that was fun. He got to see a real squirrel, killed it, and will get to play with the body later. All and all, he was having a good day…

And the good mood was ruined as soon as he followed June into the house. She was acting strangely. She wouldn't look at him, didn't talk to him much, and he swore he saw her hands shaking while she was cleaning around the house.

This all felt wrong. It was almost like…she was afraid of him. Like the first time they met. But, that can't be right. Sure, he liked to sneak up on her from time to time, but he hadn't done anything to warrant this kind of response.

Before he had realized what he was doing, Ben walked up behind June and grabbed her hand. She jumped and looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. This didn't make sense at all.

" **What'sss wrong? You'rrre ssshaking.** " June winced and her shaking got worse. She stammered a bit and told him nothing was wrong. Ben pulled her closer so he could study her face. He barely stifled the growl that crawled up his throat. She was lying. He hated being lied to!

A loud honk broke Ben's concentration. His grip on June's hand loosened. She opened and closed her mouth as though she wanted to say more, but nothing came out. This was really starting to frustrate him. She finally spoke, but it didn't help him.

"O-Oh, the girls are home! I-uh, I need to go…". She pulled her hand away and stepped around him. He watched as June hurried off to the front door. What was going on?! Why was she acting this way? Did-Did he do something wrong? Ben waved his hand and opened up an inky portal. He was in a foul mood and didn't want to be there anymore.

Every denizen in the lower levels got out of Ben's way as he stormed down the halls. Anyone that was too slow to act, was caught, and torn apart. He needed to blow off some steam. Sending souls to the ink will calm him down, eventually.

* * *

When he felt like he had his rage under control, Ben returned to the home. June was calmer than the last time he saw her but she still kept a watchful eye on him when he was around the girls. It was like she didn't trust him. That stung a little.

The girls were collecting colorful leaves off the ground and showing it to him, but Ben paid little attention to them. His thoughts were still a jumbled mess. He didn't know how to handle whatever it was he was feeling at the moment. It was all so confusing.

All of a sudden, Ben froze. He cocked his head to the side and listened. He thought he heard something near the bushes. Maybe another squirrel or some other small creature he could 'play with'.

Ben knelt near the bush and pushed the branches aside. There was a tiny form huddled by the base of the bush. Bright, golden eyes blinked back at him. Ben reached in and pulled the little bundle of fur out. It was a cat. It was shaking and let out a squeaky mewl. The girls heard the sound and ran up to him.

"Oh wow, it's a kitten!" Beth ran her fingers across its head.

"Aww, it's so cute!" Sarah lightly scratched the kitten behind its ear.

Beth ran off to tell June, leaving Sarah and Ben to look after the kitten. It was so small and vulnerable. All it did was sit in his hand and blink at him. Sometimes it would open its mouth and make the cutest little squeak. It was really quite adorable.

"Hey Ben? Whatcha got there?" He turned around to show June the kitten he just found. The children were so busy cooing over the cat that they missed the panic that flittered across June's features, but Ben saw it. What was she worried about?

The children wanted to keep the kitten. June hesitated. They started the beg, making promises they would take good care of it and what not. Ben ignored them. June's eyes kept jumping from him to the cat. There was something going on and he didn't like it.

If June didn't want it, maybe he should just take the cat. Ben was sure he could find someplace to keep it alive until he was done playing with it.

"Ben, give me the cat." He couldn't stop the frown that he was sure was on his face. The tone of her voice left him no room to argue. If it was anyone else, he'd have killed them. He doesn't like being ordered around. He grumbled softly and handed June the kitten.

June turned the kitten around so she could get a good look at its face. Ben watched as her eyes softened. She didn't look as stern as she did a moment ago. Maybe she'll keep it. He sure hoped so. He's never felt this anxious in all of his existence. Why was it so important to him?

June held the kitten close to her chest and looked at the group. "Okay girls, go tell your dad…that we're getting a cat." Both girls screamed and ran to their father. June back to him. The sternness in her gaze was back again.

"Ben, we will keep this cat but on two conditions!" More demands? He was growing tired of this.

"One: You can't take this kitten to the studio. It's just a baby and it'll get hurt there." How did she know? Sure, the thought crossed his mind, but…was he that predictable? Ben hissed softly and agreed. He supposed she was right about it being too dangerous there. The kitten was very small. Anything in the Studio would eat it alive.

"Two: Don't kill the cat!" Ben was reeling. Why would she think he'd do such a thing, even though it was true. "Don't act surprised. I saw what you did to that squirrel." Oh, she saw that huh. Is that why she was acting so funny? It was just a rodent! It's not like he tried to kill one of her children. He didn't understand why it upset her so much.

"If I even get a hint that you'll hurt this kitten, I'll give it away. Do you understand?" Now she's threatening him over a little cat? She was scared of him but was willing to stand up to him for the life of a cat? She had moxy, he'll give her that much. Ben could feel his smile returning. **"I unnderssstand."**

June told Ben to hold out his hand. She placed the kitten in his gloved hand. "I'll show you and the girls how to take care of it okay?" She glanced to the side to see the children coming back. "I'm trusting you Ben. Please don't let me down." She whispered.

Trust? She was actually putting her trust in him? Wow, no one's ever trusted him before. The way she was staring at him, she was pleading for him to agree. There was no deception in her eyes either. He agreed to her terms just as the children ran up to them.

Ben and the girls had spent the afternoon playing with the little bundle fluff. He had to admit, the kitten was kind of cute. It would paw at the various feathers and blades of grass that the girls wiggled in front of it. Sometimes it would try to crawl on his chest and paw at his floppy bow tie.

After he gave the little kitten a name, the children went off to do other things, leaving the kitten to Ben's tender mercies. He guessed they tired the little creature out because it was sleeping in his hand. The subject of trust came up again. Ben knew he wasn't the easiest being to trust. He's a demon. He had done terrible things and violence came easily to him. June was willing to trust him with the most precious things in her life…so maybe he could try a little harder to ease her mind.

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

Ben didn't know what to expect when he shuffled into June's living room that day. Henry and Bendy being there was the furthest from his mind. He should have known they would come to check on him sooner or later.

He was convinced that June had a wicked sense of humor when she took Cloudy from her brother and handed the kitten to him. The look on their faces was too funny. They looked like a couple of fish out of water gasping for air. June's mouth twitched slightly at their shocked expression. Ben chuckled internally. He knew there was a reason why he liked this lady.

He would never say it out loud, but he was a little envious of the ink spot. Bendy escaped from the Studio with Henry and never looked back. June would hug him and not shudder from his touch. He was apart of their family. Hell, the little toon was cute enough to make complete strangers forget just how unnatural he really was. Ben knew he couldn't pull that off. People would take one look at him and run.

Ben thought it was ironic. Out of the two of them, he felt like he was the most honest. With him, what you see was what you get. He's a demon, a monster. He couldn't hide that even if he wanted to. Get Bendy angry or threaten his loved ones and watch his true demonic nature come out. He should know. He took the brunt of that power on more than one occasion.

So, here he was, sitting on the living room floor with Bendy and the girls. Cloudy was stumbling around and trying to pounce a ball of yarn. June and Henry were in the kitchen, talking quietly to one another. At least, they thought they were being quiet. Ben could still hear them. When the squirrel incident came up, he made it a point not to listen. He didn't want to hear an, " _I told you so!_ " from Henry right now.

"Cousin Bendy?" Sarah's voice grabs his attention. "You and Ben are made of ink, right?"

The little toon's smile grew wider and he puffed out his chest. "Yup, we sure are!"

"So, can you do the same things?" Bendy's features scrunched up as he tried to figure out what she was asking. Ben was curious himself.

"Yeah, y'know! Like how you can make yourself bigger or how Ben can walk through walls 'n stuff!" Beth added.

"Ohhh…" Bendy glanced at him then back at the girls. "Um, no. We can't do the same things." It was true. Ben couldn't change his size like the little ink spot. That ability saved him and Henry's life more times then he cared to remember. It was a real sore spot with him.

"Sure I can make myself err bigger-" the little toon scratched the back of his head. "but I can't control the ink like Ben can."

"Control the ink?" Both girls looked a little confused so Ben decided to elaborate in his own unique way.

Ben held out his ungloved hand and concentrated. He formed a ball of thick ink right before their eyes. After a few seconds, the ink began to jiggle. Two small triangles popped out of the top as the body took shape. It gained a familiar form just as it opened its 'eyes'. They glowed a soft violet at it blinked at the group. It opened its mouth and warbled. Without proper vocal cords, it couldn't meowed like a proper kitten.

Beth gasped. "It looks just like Cloudy!"

Ben lowered his hand and the ink kitten tumbled to the floor. Cloudy approached its new playmate cautiously. The little kitten pawed at his inky companion before getting pounced. Both kittens rolled around on the floor and bumped into the ball of yarn. A lively game of tag broke out as they chased each other around the yarn. The girls squealed in delight. Now they had two kittens to play with.

Ben smiled crookedly at the look of amazement on the little toon's face. He knew that Bendy had seen Henry use thick ink in the Gent machines to make inanimate objects like gears and tools. This was different.

Thick ink could mimic a living being in two ways. Either it's infused with a soul or it comes from a being with a will strong enough to control it. The ink was apart of him. The ink kitten was small enough for him to shape and control with a bit of concentration.

Ben let the girls play with his little creation for a few more minutes before he had to call it back. He couldn't keep it up for too long without the ink loosing it's shape and turning into something more twisted. He knew he would get blamed for scaring the kids even if he didn't mean to.

Ben sighed and got to his feet. He needed to return to the studio. He held Cloudy a little longer before handing the puffball to Sarah. An inky portal formed on the living room wall and Ben shuffled towards it.

"Hey Ben!" he turned slowly to find Bendy standing behind him. The little ink spot rubbed his hands together and looked nervous.

"Why do you go back?" Ben tilted his head and waited for the toon to continue. "I mean, it's obvious you can leave that place whenever you want." Bendy waved his hand at the portal. "Why not…just stay here. I-I'm sure aunt June wouldn't mind." He said that last part in a softer voice.

Ben stared at the little toon longer than he meant to. He didn't think Bendy understood, but there was one way to find out.

" **You don't feeeel it, do you?** " Bendy's face went blank and Ben got his answer.

"Um, feel what?" Ben shook his head and stepped through the portal leaving a very confused toon behind. The last thing he heard before the ink closed around him:

"So old man, you have any plans for Halloween?"

 **.**  
 **OoOoOoOoO**  
 **.**

He was back. Surrounded by the same dreary walls, ink stained floors, and shadowy figures roaming the halls. This was his home and his domain. He kept every soul here under control. He was the jailer…and the prisoner.

Ben stood near a tunnel that lead to the source. The ink that flooded these tunnels was very potent. His portals could only take him this far because he had very little control over the ink this far down. He'd have to walk the rest of the way.

There were very few creatures that came down this far. The ink felt different down here…more alive. Even as Ben sloshed through the stuff, it made his insides twist. It felt like, like something was tugging on his very being. He often felt the same pull if he was away from the studio too long.

The tunnel branched off and into other rooms. Ben continued until he came out on a raised platform made of stone. Looking down, he could see a large pit filled with ink. The substance rolled like waves on a dark sea. The ink machine was suspended above it by heavy chains. There was a large pipe that was attached to the underside of the machine. The other end plunged into the depths of the ink. The machine acts like the heart, pumping the ink through the network of pipes like the veins of some giant beast. In that respect, the studio was alive.

He hissed softly. This was the other thing that made him envious of the other Bendy. He didn't feel the need to come back to this place. The bond he created with Henry was so strong, this place no longer had a hold on him. Ben's bond was with the Studio. He couldn't be away from it for too long without feeling like something was trying to tear out his inky heart. It physically hurt and it frustrated him. The outside world was very interesting. He wanted to see more! Experience more. He wanted…freedom.

A shudder ran through his body. Standing this close, the pull on his being was especially strong here. Ben had a feeling that he would loose himself if he got too close to the source. He didn't want to loose who he was, even if who he was…was a monster.

His thoughts drifted to June and her family. She invited him into her home and gave him a way to escape all of this. At least for a little while. He just hoped he didn't do anything to screw things up.


End file.
